Garage door advice

[SEV65]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and am looking for some advice on my upcoming garage "remodel". So here's what I'm looking to do.

I have an existing 20x20 garage that I want to freshen up a bit. Looking to raise the ceiling height by re-framing the joists from the 10' level they are now to about 12' and dry-walling everything. (excuse my incorrect building vocab)
Also looking to add a entry door on the side and install a new garage door to start with.
I've gotten some quotes for a Clopay (16x7) premium classic series insulated door installed for about $1100 for just the door not opener. I'm pretty set on a liftmaster 3800 that I plan to install myself.

My question is what other brand doors are worth looking at? How difficult is it to install one myself and is it even worth it since its only about a $250 difference between them and DIY? I'm a mechanic by trade so I've got plenty of tools and consider myself pretty handy around the house

Any advice would be greatly appreciated since this is my first garage door. Also if anyone knows of a good installed in the Los Angeles area let me know.

Thanks in advance

 

[benchracer]

I just installed a clopay and a 3800 and like them a lot. I say spend the extra cash and have it installed by a pro. Especially if you're installing a 3800 opener. I think the tension is set up different for it.

 

[hockey88fan]

I agree, have a pro install it. That price doesn't seem bad to me at all, that's what I paid for a smaller door here in the land of the cheap, PA.

 

[Gary S]

I like your idea of installing it yourself. If you can read and use wrenches, you will likely do a better job of installing than anyone you can hire. I do all my doors myself and have never had any problem with any of them in the 37 years my doors have been in use.
My neighbor paid "the guy" to install a high priced door and paid the installer. His door is torn apart from improper installation of the opener. He is out the door and the money 6 years later.

 

[djjsr]

If you live near a Menards, check out the Ideal 5 Star doors. They are made by Clopay and Menards has them on sale pretty often.

 

[Gary S]

I agree with djjsr on the Ideal doors. Menards has great prices on them, and the real benefit is that Ideal doors have a gearcase on the end of the spring to wind them up. You put your variable speed drill on the gearcase and wind the springs to the correct tension. The spring can't get away from you and unwind.

 

[GarageDog]

If you use a service, make sure to check them out on yelp.

I recently had a couple of water damaged panels on my roll-up replaced by a company that had done work for me a number of years ago. I'm guessing there was an ownership change. Along with incorrect fasteners, there were mis-drilled holes all the way through the panels, with no attempt to patch or fix. So now I have old panels that had holes replaced with new panels with holes! Unbelievable. The original tech that bid on the project came out and apologized for the sub standard work and fixed the other guys mess. After the fact I went to yelp and looked them up only to find pages of pissed off customers with similar experiences.

Look out for the hacks.

 

[SEV65]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Unfortunately the closest Menards to me is 900 miles away. I'm really considering doing it myself. I figure if someone's gonna do it for a few hundred dollars how hard can it be?

A couple months ago my washing machine broke down and my first instinct was to call out a repair man. Then I decided to blow it apart myself. I was shocked to see how simple the workings of a modern washer is. Long story short I fixed it with a $45 dollar part.

Anyway I would love to hear about any experiences anyone has had with a DIY door.

 

[wesalexleft]

I went with Clopay and was very happy. They have a good online tool for ordering, adding options, panels, lites, insulation, braces, etc. I installed it myself, and though it took a bit of time/steps, there was nothing difficult about it. I had to order a low headroom track, and that went without a hitch as well. The one I ordered had "winding drums" to wind the springs with a cordless drill, and it was the best thing ever. I just chucked up the bit, and at low speed, wound the springs.

 

[freedomgli]

If you use a service, make sure to check them out on yelp.

Look out for the hacks.

Caveat emptor but forget yelp. Their algorithm filters (obscures) most bad reviews and bad reviews often go missing for mysterious reasons. Use Angie's List instead. It's well worth the money.

 

[moto367]

I'd pay the installer. The springs are wound pretty damn tight and could really hurt. Plus they can have it done in a few hours. I'd also request the hardware for the door to be from Arrow Tru-Line (stamped ATL on the parts). You'd get good stuff and it would help a fellow GJ guy keep a job That's my plug for the day. Thanks.

 

[robotfo0d]

Pay an installer. I am a former installer and currently work for a manufacturer.

companies that all make good quality/similar products.
- Amarr
- Clopay
- CHI
- HAAS

Comparable to the Clopay Premium series (4300) -- I would look at the following:
Amarr Heritage 3000. It is 24ga. exterior skin (clopay premium is 25ga.)
Amarr Olympus 500. 19.40 R-Value, polyurethane insulated.

Lifetime manufacturers warranty on everything, including hardware and torsion springs for both models. No other manufacturer offers this warranty. www.amarr.com

 

[kbs2244]

As far as DIy vs having it done, the old rule is could you make as much or more in diong what you do in the time it would take you to DIY?
I have seen many a guy work a Sat to get the money to pay a pro to do something they know nothing about.
Of course, once he is gone you now have an example to copy if you need to do it again.
Maybe stay home and watch the pro and get the OT the next weekend?

 

[tomshep]

Tell the pro you will give him the job IF he mounts the opener at the same price.

Tom

 

[SEV65]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone. I think I am gonna end up using a pro and trying out Toms free motor install tip.

I've got another question for you guys. As I said before I've got a 20x20 garage now with about 7' of room behind it to expand on. I'm thinking about extending the garage out 5 or 6 feet making it roughly 20 wide 26 deep. This would really be useful since my truck barely fits now. The roof also needs to be completely redone so I'm thinking this is a good opportunity to do the expansion.

Do you guys think the 100 or so sq foot gain would be worth the cost of doing the work?

 

[RVDan]

I think an extra 100 square feet is definitely worth the effort. My garage is about 20x29, truck, car, jeep, and motorcycle, yeah, it's full. The jeep bumper touches the back wall and I take the spare tire off the back of it to park the car behind it.